The sagacity of Kit Carson, however, triumphed over all the obstacles he had to encounter.  He traversed the forest and the prairie undiscovered, and reached Taos with all his animals and their precious freight.  Here he found furs in great demand.  Traders were there from various parts of the States, ready to purchase his supply at the highest prices.  Kit Carson was abundantly rewarded for all his toil, and for a mountain trapper, might be deemed rich.  His two companions speedily squandered their earnings in all kinds of extravagant and senseless revelry.  Mr. Carson, having perhaps learned wisdom from past experience, judiciously invested the sums he had acquired.

Mr. Carson had now very decidedly stepped out from the ranks of vagabondage, in which so many of the reckless trappers were wandering, and had entered the more congenial association with intelligent and respected men.  There was at that time at Taos, a gentleman by the name of Lee.  He had the title of Captain, having been formerly an officer in the United States army.  He was then a partner in the firm of Bent and Vrain, merchants of renown in the fur trade.  This firm, in the eager pursuit for furs, had dispatched Captain Lee to these remote frontiers in New Mexico.

Bands of energetic trappers were penetrating streams and valleys, over distances thousands of miles in extent.  Many of the Indians also, seeking lucrative trade with the white men, had purchased steel traps and had become quite successful in the capture of beavers.  Captain Lee had obtained a large number of mules.  These he was to load with packs, containing such goods as he thought would be the most eagerly sought for by the trappers.  Then with a cavalcade of perhaps forty or fifty mules, horses for his party to ride, and spare horses to meet any accidental loss, he was to set out on a long tour of hundreds of miles, climbing the mountains, threading the valleys, crossing the prairies in search of these widely wandering bands.

In exchange for his goods he received furs; and the mules returned with their freightage of very rich treasure.  This was in the latter part of October, 1832.  Captain Lee became acquainted with Kit Carson, and immediately appreciated his unusual excellencies as a companion in an enterprise so arduous and perilous, as that in which he was engaged.  He made him so liberal an offer to join his company, that Mr. Carson promptly accepted it.

There is a narrow mule-path which has been traversed for ages, between New Mexico and California.  The mules and the Indians ever travel it in single file.  It was then known by the name of The Old Spanish Trail.